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Bio, district, positions, roll call, and more (varies between sites) |
Member sites: usually [lastname].house.gov (sometimes first and last name) |
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| many |
Bio, votes, positions, experience, ratings, speeches, funding |
VoteSmart
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Personal background |
Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
Financial Disclosure Reports, Office of the Clerk
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The member's personal background: age & DOB, education, marital status, immediate family members, occupation, partisan affiliation/history, economic status. For economic status, find out what their lifestyle is (net worth), excluding their Congressional salary. |
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Political experience |
Member sites
VoteSmart
Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
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Member's political experience. Years in different elected political offices, including this one
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District |
My Congressional District (from census.gov)
U.S. census
Registration statistics from State Elections Commission or Secretary of State sites (.gov)
City or county websites
Social Explorer (LIBRARY DATABASE) Visual analysis of U.S. demographics. As of Jan 2025, elections data only through 2020
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Location in the state and geographic size/shape
Landmarks or highlights (cities, events, special features, etc.)
Demographics of your district:
- Socioeconomics: main industry or enterprises
- Political sense, including political party registration breakdown (R,D,I)
- Average income, age, and education levels of population
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Election returns |
Federal election stats
New York Times data (2024) - scroll down for past elections and more General Election stats
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Vote breakdown for the member in Nov 2024 and Nov 2022 (or last special election if new)
Electoral context of 2024 elections: beat an incumbent or won open seat? Had a weak or strong challenger?
Name the major party opponent and report what the vote breakdown was.
Your district and state's vote for President Nov. 2024 and 2020
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Financial supporters |
Open Secrets
Federal Election Commission (totals and receipts for money raised and spent)
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Name the five "Top Industries 2023-2024" that made campaign donations. Don't need $ amounts. What kinds of special interests are supportive?
Percentage of funds in 2023-2024 ("Source of Funds" on opensecrets) that came from large individual contributions, small individual contributions, and PAC contributions. Which was largest?
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Committees and subcommittees
Leadership experience
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Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives
VoteSmart
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Member's current committee and subcommittee assignments
Relevant leadership experience as a member of Congress, if any, past or present
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D.C. and district staff members |
Call offices
House telephone directory
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Number of D.C. and district staff members as of 2024 or current
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Ratings and voting records |
Voting records from Americans for Democratic Action (ADA)
Ratings from American Conservative Union / Conservative Political Action Commission
VoteSmart
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Ratings re: ideological positioning or roll call vote patterns according to the Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) and/or the American Conservative Union (ACU) or CPAC ratings. |
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Bipartisan Index score |
The Lugar Center
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Member's Bipartisan Index score for 2023, as calculated by the Lugar Center. Explain what it means |
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Issue concerns and positions |
Congressional member profiles
VoteSmart
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Member's primary issue concerns and positions, including which would be key to winning in your district
(also includes member's legislative activity)
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Legislative style |
NexisUni (LIBRARY DATABASE) News
New York Times student account
LA Times student account - click Single Journals link
Web search for news articles (consider setting up a news alert)
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Legislative style, any info on "homestyle" or "hillstyle". Read articles to learn about your Representative.
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Videos |
C-SPAN
Local PBS and NPR station archives
Member's official YouTube channel (consider bias)
Live House proceedings (hit or miss)
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Two videos that give a sense of who they are. No political ads.
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